Kootenay Connect Priority Places

A science-based initiative designed to sustain and connect exceptional places of biodiversity across Kootenay landscapes.

Impact Report – Flipbook

A Whole Landscape Approach

Kootenay Connect Priority Places worked with local partners to enhance, restore and manage large dry forest and riparian and wetland complexes to support the recovery of federally-listed species and species of local concern.

By focusing on habitat conservation, enhancement and connectivity within and between valley bottoms and mountain ranges, this initiative brought a whole landscape approach to strategically address habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation—especially in light of increasing human development and climate change.

Our Role

As the lead coordinator for Kootenay Connect Priority Places, we actively supported a team of over 42 partners and specialists to enhance and restore habitat across the Kootenays.

How Did We Do This?

  • We held a science-based vision for connectivity across the Kootenays.

  • We helped secure multi-year funding to advance connectivity conservation.

  • We worked with diverse partners to address conservation opportunities and threats and to share innovative solutions across Kootenay Connect’s focal landscapes.

  • We provided technical and scientific support to ensure the best information and GIS capacity is available to partners.

  • We shared results and lessons learned with our project partners, the larger conservation community, and the public.

Selected Stories

Kootenay Connect – Riparian Wildlife Corridors for Climate Change Year 4 Summary Report

Kootenay Connect Priority Places

Wildlife-Friendly Fencing

More Habitat, Fewer Bugs

Bring on the Beaver

Focal Areas

Grizzly bear corridor identification, riparian-wetlands mapping, biodiversity hotspots, climate change resilience modelling, and expert opinions—these inputs all played an important role in identifying 12 key connectivity areas across the Kootenays.

Kootenay Connect Priority Places was active in seven out of the 12 areas. These seven areas encompass 1,660,000 hectares and are linked by a variety of habitat types that contain rich biological diversity, multiple species at risk, and potential climate change refugia.

Highlights By Area

Interested in what has been done in each of the focal areas? Click on a region below.

Highlights by Topic

Wildlife Corridor Science

Identifying and enhancing ecological connectivity and habitat networks in the Kootenays is a cornerstone of Kootenay Connect.

Learn More →
Species at Risk

To help sustain biodiversity across the region, Kootenay Connect Priority Places uses a multi-species, habitat-based approach to provide for the needs of species at risk and assist their recovery.

Learn More →
Climate Change Science
As climate disruption continues and intensifies, understanding future predictions will improve our preparedness and landscape resiliency.
Read now →

Supporters

Kootenay Connect was made possible thanks to generous support from our funders. This initiative was a Community-Nominated Priority Places project funded by a federal Canada Nature Fund grant issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada. We also received significant local partner funding.

Coming soon

Resource & Data Catalogue - Dozens of reports, maps and videos have been developed as part of this project. Resources will be listed and indexed in an easy-to-use searchable format.

Kootenay Connect is just one of our many initiatives. Learn more about how we support conservation in the Kootenays.

Have questions?
Contact us.